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Columnists

FRED FIRST: Approaching the Longest Night

Yes, you’re right—if you’ve even noticed—that this space has been neglected for some weeks now, and it has been hard to figure out where and how to jump back...

A Life Well-Lived: Shirley Padgett Lester (1947-2025)

Shirley Padgett Lester of Vinton went to her heavenly reward October 4. Below is the...

BOB BROWN: How the White House Functioned With a Diminished Biden “Presidency”

Permit me to think out loud as an old-fashioned person who respects authority, history, and...

JOHNNY ROBINSON: The Gratitude Perch

On the old road up Mill Mountain, part of Roanoke’s fabulous greenway system, there’s a...

ROBERT L. MARONIC: Sometimes President Trump Needs To Think Before He Speaks – Part II

Contrary to what President Trump believes, I think that Lakanwal was adequately vetted before September 2021,...

BOB BROWN: We Need A Time To Rest

I often sat in my mother’s lap until I was 12.  During my childhood, she “tucked me in” every night at bedtime, but I...

MELINDA MYERS: Holiday Gift Ideas for Gardeners

It’s time to begin tackling that gift list for the holidays. Consider gifting your favorite gardener something practical and attractive to enjoy for months...

ROBERT L. MARONIC: The Unbearable Bitterness of Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Champion bodybuilder, Hollywood film star and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (2003-11) endorsed woke fellow-Californian Vice President Kamala Harris for president on October 30....

Timeline: Trump’s SWVA Rally in Salem

Below is a timeline for President Trump's rally at the Salem Civic Center, Sat. Nov. 2, 2024. Fri. Oct. 25: The Trump campaign announces a...

SERWAN ZANGANA: Trump Rally Offers Great Encouragement

It was no surprise to see a massive crowd in the Salem Civic Center that attended former President Donald Trump’s Rally on Saturday. People...

MORGAN GRIFFITH: The Ongoing Struggle In Haiti

The United States is close to existing for 250 years, in which we have exercised stable and relatively peaceful government. Due to the unjust...